Football or Baseball?

[Smokey]

Disclaimer: I am American. Therefore, football is played with a ball in the shape of an oval with the two ends tapered down to points, and only four people in the entire game get to kick it. Also, it's played with pads and a helmet, and there aren't any Italians taking dives when the wind changes directions or Frenchmen headbutting people in the chest.:P

Considering that the Hockey/Basketball thread has seemingly run its course (with Hockey emerging from a landslide victory, as expected:D), I figured we could use another argument about something fun and wholesome (because anything with either Barry Bonds or Terrell Owens affiliated with it is wholesome, right?). So, which is better, America's pastime or the most expensive spectator sport around?

Personally, I find football to be more entertaining, both to play and to watch, and I do consider it to have more depth, since there actually is some potential for back and forth action as well as major upsets in the action (i.e. fumbles, sacks, etc.).

[HGW XX/7]

Baseball to play. Football to watch.

My entire life it's been that way for me. Don't know why.

[Smokey]

That might have been the way it turned out for me if it weren't for my dad. Eventually I stopped wanting to go to batting cages with him after he nailed me in the ankle for the hundredth time, and then every pitcher I ever played against was my dad and I couldn't take it anymore. Now, I still don't feel like getting hit with something moving that fast, but I also don't care for relying on other guys in order for me to score my run.

I'm a fairly brawny fella, and I'm also pretty fast, so I make one hell of a runningback as well as a blocker. I'm just more physically disposed toward football.

[MR EPIC]

Baseball is the correct answer.

[Smokey]

On Opposite Day.

[Rensa]

Disclaimer: I am American. Therefore, football is played with a ball in the shape of an oval with the two ends tapered down to points, and only four people in the entire game get to kick it. Also, it's played with pads and a helmet, and there aren't any Italians taking dives when the wind changes directions or Frenchmen headbutting people in the chest.:P
Psssssssssssssssssssccccccccccccccchhhhhhhh :P

[Nismo]

Football, fun as hell to play and awesome to watch.

I enjoy soccer too though, the acting is horrendous and hilarious when someone fakes an injury.

Baseball is so boring to watch and the announcers sound like they are on painkillers.

[Joey D]

I've never made it past 5 innings while watching a baseball game on TV. Football takes the cake for televised games.

HOWEVER... I'd consider them nearly tied when it comes to actually being at the game. Football edges baseball only because I have more of an interest in the teams involved.

Playing... baseball is a lot easier to casually field amongst my friends. Both games are fun given the right circumstances.

[Lizzaroni]

I'm the exact opposite. Unless I'm physically at the game or attending a game-party, football bores me to tears (exaggeration, but I'd rather watch baseball.) "LOOK HE'S DOING SOMETH -- FLAG! Oh boy, they're going to start aga -- FLAG! FLAG! FLAG! Let's stop the game one more time, just for fun FLAG!!" I really don't know why America bothers with "gridiron" when rugby already exists.

[Rensa]

To be honest, I don't really like watching sport on telly full stop. I like going to games for the atmosphere and I like playing them, but I couldn't give a toss about watching them. I don't get into all the player stats and predictions and such.

[Z.E.I.D.A.N]

I don't watch sports, but I suspect I'd enjoy playing baseball more than football. I don't even know how to play baseball though, but I'm sure I'd have more fun with it.

[Idol Australian]

What can;t be beaten is the MCG on Grand Final day. 100,000 people all in the same building for the same purpose.

The last couple of years I have watched the Super Bowl, which (if I remeber correctly) were hed at stadiums that held only 50,000 (or less) people.

There is not much else like the MCG on grand final day.

[Lucas]

I'm the exact opposite. Unless I'm physically at the game or attending a game-party, football bores me to tears (exaggeration, but I'd rather watch baseball.) "LOOK HE'S DOING SOMETH -- FLAG! Oh boy, they're going to start aga -- FLAG! FLAG! FLAG! Let's stop the game one more time, just for fun FLAG!!" I really don't know why America bothers with "gridiron" when rugby already exists.

I do get tired of the CONSTANT penalty flags in recent games, but it's worth it when something does actually happen. To their credit, the penalty can take less than a minute before they get the game going again, so it's not as bad as it used to be.

[Smokey]

Playing... baseball is a lot easier to casually field amongst my friends. Both games are fun given the right circumstances.

Are you talking about setting up the field and stuff? I would think that football would be easier since all you need is a ball and some boundary markers. That and you don't really need extra equipment for catching the ball. I mean, you could go without, but only if you're used to the pain. Or you're a masochist.

Off-topic: We need a shrug emote, STAT!

I'm the exact opposite. Unless I'm physically at the game or attending a game-party, football bores me to tears (exaggeration, but I'd rather watch baseball.) "LOOK HE'S DOING SOMETH -- FLAG! Oh boy, they're going to start aga -- FLAG! FLAG! FLAG! Let's stop the game one more time, just for fun FLAG!!" I really don't know why America bothers with "gridiron" when rugby already exists.

We've gotta be different, even if it's not necessarily better. Otherwise, we'd be like...them.

To be honest, I don't really like watching sport on telly full stop. I like going to games for the atmosphere and I like playing them, but I couldn't give a toss about watching them. I don't get into all the player stats and predictions and such.

Definitely cheaper than going to an NFL or MLB game, though. Although I will agree with you about watching sports on TV in general. Don't do it much except for hockey and whenever the Super Bowl or an All-Star game is on.

I don't watch sports, but I suspect I'd enjoy playing baseball more than football. I don't even know how to play baseball though, but I'm sure I'd have more fun with it.

Wha...huh? How do you not know how to play baseball? I'm sorry, but that just seems really basic to me, like knowing how to walk. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I've never heard anyone say that before, although if ML or Rensa had said that, I'd have shook my head and written it down on my list of reasons why the UK and Australia are inherently inferior.:P

[Joey D]

Are you talking about setting up the field and stuff? I would think that football would be easier since all you need is a ball and some boundary markers. That and you don't really need extra equipment for catching the ball. I mean, you could go without, but only if you're used to the pain. Or you're a masochist.

I meant "field" as in like get together a full group willing to play. You know, we can easily field two teams. My friends are more willing to play baseball than football.

[Smokey]

^Ah, okay, I gotcha. Yeah, I can see that happening.

I will say, though, that you need at least ten people playing in order for either sport to be any fun. I remember playing a three-on-three pickup football game. Not a lot of fun. Part of that was screwing my knee up, but it would have been much better with more people. You can lose the guy that's watching you much easier when you're running through a crowd.

I found something for you, Rensa, and I wasn't even looking for it.

http://208.116.9.205/10/content/15424/1.jpg

[Rensa]

Roffle! Thanks, Smokey, but where I live we actually play Aussie rules (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football):

http://www.sporttalk.com.au/userimages/user1834_1157172509.jpg

[Lizzaroni]

Handegg, lol.

[Lucas]

Football is a game of strategy. Soccer is a game of technique. Baseball is a more rounded game of general athleticism.

But football is FAR more fun to watch in my opinion, unless you are at a stadium. In that case, Baseball wins. Football in a stadium bores me to TEARS. I'm spoiled. I miss the close camera views, commentary, instant replays, and the digital line markers. Live Baseball games just have a more electric feel about them, even if they can sometimes go on seemingly forever.

Baseball's wider field of play also makes a live game enjoyable from any angle, where in a football stadium, it's so hard to see anything. Out of a 100 yard field, rarely does the action ever move beyond a cluster of players in a 20 yard range. It's hard to see anything. Of course, on TV that isn't an issue, but live games are just pointless to me.

Still, I go with football.

[Smokey]

Roffle! Thanks, Smokey, but where I live we actually play Aussie rules (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football):

http://www.sporttalk.com.au/userimages/user1834_1157172509.jpg

What the... that's like the bastard lovechild of soccer and flag football. And the uniform is the same kind of thing, except of rugby and basketball of yesteryear. Seriously, those shorts are way too high, man.

[Buddy Magert]

Football.

Baseball can be a snoozer and only interesting when the playoffs come.

[Smokey]

Keep in mind that we're not just talking the professional aspect of the sports, but every possible aspect. I do agree with you on that, though.

[prime_timer]

This is like choosing between sex and chocolate sex for me. I guess I'd pick baseball in the long run. Tons of fun to play, tons of fun to watch live and on TV (for me anyway.). The best part about watching baseball live is you can get waaaaay drunker watching baseball than you can football because of the length of the game and the speed it's played at.

[Buddy Magert]

This is like choosing between sex and chocolate sex for me. I guess I'd pick baseball in the long run. Tons of fun to play, tons of fun to watch live and on TV (for me anyway.). The best part about watching baseball live is you can get waaaaay drunker watching baseball than you can football because of the length of the game and the speed it's played at.

And i thought i was a drunk but u do have a good point there.LOL

[Smokey]

^^I never would have thought of that. Bet you hope for a lot of games going into extra innings, huh?:P

[prime_timer]

You have noooooooo idea man. I'm hoping for a nice long seventeen inning game again this year --~

[Idol Australian]

Want to get drunk during sport?

Try a 5 day test match.

[DEATHSTAR]

I'll pick baseball the day they install a timer/clock into the game, until then Football is my answer Chuck... survey says!

[Ding, ding] He's right!!!

[Darc Requiem]

Football for me. It is more fun to watch and play. Baseball is fun to play, but I can't watch it to save my life. I don't think I've watched a full game of baseball since the 94' Strike.

[Z.E.I.D.A.N]

Wha...huh? How do you not know how to play baseball? I'm sorry, but that just seems really basic to me, like knowing how to walk. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I've never heard anyone say that before, although if ML or Rensa had said that, I'd have shook my head and written it down on my list of reasons why the UK and Australia are inherently inferior.:P

I lived in Lebanon for most of my childhood and nobody knew what baseball was over there, so when I came here I never bothered to learn it ;)

[Rensa]

You hit a ball with a big stick and run around a diamond, rit? How hard can it be?

[Hottotty]

^ That's kinda the way I feel about soccer. You just kick a ball into a net roughly the size of my apartment. No wonder Italians love it. The game practically plays itself.

[Lizzaroni]

I lived in Lebanon for most of my childhood and nobody knew what baseball was over there, so when I came here I never bothered to learn it ;)
Er, I do not ever remember posting what you quoted..

[Z.E.I.D.A.N]

Hahahaha, sorry. I accidentally scrolled up after quoting that, my bad.

You hit a ball with a big stick and run around a diamond, rit? How hard can it be?

I mean I understand the whole three bases and hitting the ball and running, but I didn't really get why all the players are throwing the ball after the pitch and who's catching and all that. Plus the odd scoring.. I don't have anything against the sport, I guess, I just never really had any interest to learn it.

[Smokey]

I lived in Lebanon for most of my childhood and nobody knew what baseball was over there, so when I came here I never bothered to learn it ;)

Yeah, I figured it had to be something like that, but I couldn't remember how much time you spent over there. I didn't want to post something like "kids in Lebanon don't know what baseball is? LOLWUTDUMB!" and have you say "I only lived there 'til I was two" or some such. That would have been slightly embarrassing.

And don't worry. There's things about baseball I still don't understand and I still ask my dad about and still don't get. :/

That's why football is better. Anything you don't understand isn't relevant most of the time.:D